Boyce feels the shadow of Warne, MacGill

Cameron Boyce aims to be his own man, despite developing as a leg spinner in the giant shadow cast by Shane Warne and Stuart MacGill.

The legspinner was named man of the match on Friday night in Australia's easy Twenty20 cricket win over South Africa at the MCG to force a series decider in Sydney tonight.

Boyce showed his potential, taking 2-15 from four overs in his third Twenty20 match at the top level.

Former Test off-spinner Ashley Mallett has rated Boyce as the best leg spinner since Warne and MacGill.

The 25-year-old is happy to take advice from Warne - and says it is impossible not to be influenced by his great leg-spin predecessors - but Boyce is no-one's apprentice.

"I'd like to think I'm my own sort of bowler and I've come up with my own ways to bowl and my own action," Boyce said.

"It's pretty hard not to try and copy blokes like Warnie and MacGill and blokes like that.

"They were obviously the best at it."

Boyce said he does not cross paths often with Warne, but whenever they do the youngster listens carefully.

"I've had a little bit to to do with him - nothing too formal," Boyce said.

"Every now and then, I run into him and take a few things off him.

"I was pretty lucky, I had a session with him a couple of years ago at the academy, but that's about it."

Boyce started bowling leg spin in the nets a decade ago and soon showed a natural ability for the art.

He made his Twenty20 debut for Australia last month against Pakistan in Dubai.

Along with bowling as much as possible on a daily basis, Boyce said a big focus was building confidence.

"It's one thing I've probably lacked (in) the last few years and it's something I'm still learning how to deal with," he said.

"Coming into games, it's a massive thing to be able to walk in and just be confident from ball one.

"Obviously it helps the way you bowl."

While Boyce is playing for Australia in the shortest form of the game, he is realistic about his Test chances.

"It seems like a long way away from where I've been, I suppose, (in) the last two years," he said when asked about next month's Boxing Day Test against India.

"But, in saying that, anything's possible."